Cutting-off device.



J. F. KITCHEN.

CUTTING-OFF DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.29. -l912.

1,056,798. Patented Mar. -25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

WITNESSES INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

stirrup sra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. KITCHEN, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPIRELLACOMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CUTTING-OFF DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 29, 1912.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Serial No. 674,055.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F KITCHEN, aresident of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cutting-OffDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a cutting off de vice and more particularly toa device for cutting strips of metal, as for example, corset stays, intolengths.

The object of the invention is to provide such a device which is simpleand effective in operation, not liable to get out of order and in whichthe cutting off member is mounted so that it is not subjected todetrimental wear or possible damage by operation of the device.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of part-shereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation through acutting ofi device constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is afront view of the same, the table or support being shown in dottedlines; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation on the line t4, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows; Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the upper end of the anvil; andFig. 6 is an elevation of the same.

The parts of myimproved cutting off device may be mounted upon anysuitable support or table 1. It is preferred that this support be ofsuch height that an operator may stand or sit in front of the machine in'such position that he can readily operate the same. The devicecomprises essentially two parts, a knife or cutter 2 and an anvilplunger 3. In the present machine the anvi plunger 3 is movably mountedand the work is supported thereon and moved into conjunction with theknife or cutter, although, obviously, either of these parts may be mov--able toward and away from the other, as preferred. As illustrated, theknife or cutter 2 comprises a bar or rod having a cen tral sharp edge tat its lower end, and is so disposed in its support that the edgeextends in a direction from front to rear of the device. In cutting someforms of stays, however, notably stays composed of oppositely disposedloops of wire, the cutting edge of the knife is set crosswise of themachine or lengthwise of the stay, its square shape permitting this, inwhich position it severs the stay by cutting the wire crossing from oneloop to the other. The knife or cutter is vertically disposed and issuitably mounted in an upright or standard 5 secured to the uppersurface of a body or base 6 which is mounted upon the support 1 and hasa downwardly depending sleeve-like portion 7 extending through anaperture 8 therein. The knife or cutter 2 is securely clamped to theforward face of the standard 5 and is firmly held between the same and aplate or block 9, which is securely clamped to the standard by securingbolts and nuts 10. Obviously by untightening the nuts on the securingbolts the knife or cutter may be turned, as stated, or may be adjustedlongitudinally to vary the distance of its end edge 4 from the plunger3.

Plate 9 is preferably provided with an inturned lower edge 9 which hooksunder a shoulder on the forward face of standard 5. This prevents theplate from sliding upwardly with the knife, in case the latter has suchtendency. If desired, the lower part of plate 9 may also be formed intoa guide to assist in directing the strip into its proper place under theknife in rapid cutting.

The downwardly depending sleeve 7 of the base 6 is provided with acylindrical bore in which slides the plunger 3 referred to. Thiscomprises a cylinder having a slot or kerf '11 in its upper end and asocket 12 on its lower end. In the slot or kerf 11 is mounted an anvilblock 12, having a flat upper face for cooperation with the edge 4: ofthe knife 2, and which is preferably formed of a piece of hardenedsteel. In rear of the knife or cutter 2 the anvil 3 is provided with aguide 13, comprising a semi-circular plate or block, screwed orotherwise secured to the upper face of the plunger 3 and having a flatforward face 141 against which the operator holds one edge of the stripto be cut, to guide the same. As shown in Fig. 5, the guide 13 has apart of its forward face 1 1 cut away, as at 15, and into this cutaway'portion the rear end of the edge 4 of knife 2 projects in suchmanner that the strip may be completely severed from edge to edgethereof.

Seated in a socket around the plunger and between sleeve 7 and standard5 is a packing 27, which prevents fine chips and slivers,

produced by the cutting operation, from working down and cutting andclogging the bearing surfaces of the plunger and down-- wardly dependingsleeve.

In the socket 12 in the lower end of the plunger 3 is mounted a wearblock 16, preferably formed of hardened steel, with which cooperates aneccentric block 17 mounted in the upper end of a lever 18 pivoted upon ashaft or rod 19 mounted in downwardly extending arms 20 of the dependingsleeve 7. At its lower end the lever 18 is provided with a laterallybent portion 21 for engage ment by the foot and operation of the machinethereby. The block 17, as shown, comprises a cylinder formed ,ofhardened steel and seated in a socket in the upper end of the lever 18.Obviously as the lever 18 is rotated about the belt 19 as an axis theblock will engage the block 16 and act as an eccentric or cam to raisethe plunger 3.

To prevent rotation of the plunger 3 about its axis the same is providedwith a rearwardly extending guide block 22 com prising a headed boltsecured to the lower end of the plunger and projecting through a slot 23in the sleeve 7. In the bore of a boss 24 projecting rearwardly from thesleeve 7 is mounted a helical spring 25 the lower .end of which engageswith the upper face of the block 22 and tends to press the plunger andwear block 16 downwardly against the wear block 17.

The operation of my improved cutting off device will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings. The operator stands or sits at the front of themachine with his foot on the treadle 21, this being at the time in aposition directly un der the knife 2. The operator then places a stripon the plunger 3 above the fiat-faced anvil block 12 and with one edgeengaged with the forward face 14 of the guide 13. Preferably, a gage orstop 28, having a fixed or adjustable upturned end 29 against which theend of the strip may be placed, is secured to table 1 to determine thelength of strip cut. By pressing the foot rearwardly the wear block 17is oscillated about the bolt 19 as an axis and acts as a cam oreccentric to force the plunger 3 upwardly and press the strip againstthe edge a of the knife 2. It will be noted that the block 17 is out ofline with the axis or median line of the lever 18 and that, furthermore,it moves in a circular path about the bolt 19 as an axis. Consequentlyit can only move the plunger 3 upwardly to a limited extent and thegreatest upward movement of the plunger occurs when the block 17 is in aline between the bolt 19 and the knife 2. The machine is so adjustedthat when the block 17 is in the position stated the edge 4 of the knifecontacts with the face of the wear block 12.

F or this reason, no matter how far or how much the lever 13 isoscillated, no injury to the parts can occur by engagement of the knife2 and hardened block 12. The knife edge 4 is turned or adjusted to suitthe work in hand, as stated.

The machine described is intended primarily for cutting to properlengths strips intended for use as corset stays. In devices as commonlyconstructed for this duty two knives have been provided which shear pasteach other, the action of these knives being such as to turn a smallamount of the material of the strip out of the normal plane of the stay.This leaves a projecting sharp edge at the end of the stay whichprevents its easy insertion into the tips or shields which are usuallyplaced upon such stays. In the present machine the action of the cutting01f device is such that no material of the stay is moved sidewise out ofits plane and no sharp edges remain.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described the combinationof an anvilhaving a flat face, a cutting off knife having an end edge forcooperation with said anvil face, means for causing relative movementbetween said knife and anvil to sever a strip fed there between, and aguide secured to said anvil and along which said strip may be fed, saidguide having a cutaway portion opposite to the end of the edge of saidcutter.

2. In a machine of the character described the combination of a base, acutter fixedly mounted therein and having an end edge, a plunger movablymounted in the base and having an anvil block in its end, means carriedby and movable with said plunger for guiding a strip bet-ween said anvilblock and said cutter, said means being cutaway opposite'to the end ofthe edge of said outter, and means for moving said anvil block towardand from said cutter.

3. In a machine of the character described the combination of a basehaving a cutter fixedly supported thereon, said base being provided witha depending sleeve, a plunger movably mounted in said sleeve andprovided with an anvil block at its upper end, a guide secured to saidplunger and having a forward strip guiding face, and means for movingsaid plunger toward and from said cutter.

l. In a machine of the character described the combination of a base, acutter adjustably secured therein and provided with an end edge, aplunger movably mounted in said base below said cutter and provided atits upper end with an anvil block having a fiat face for cooperationwith said end edge, and means for moving said plunger comprising a leverpivotally mounted on said base and having an eccentric portion engagingthe lower end of said plunger.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with a basehaving a cutter,

supported therein, said base being provided wit-h a depending sleevehaving a bore, a plunger movably mounted in said bore, inter-engagingparts on the plunger and sleeve for preventing relative rotationtherebetween, and a lever pivotally mounted in the lower end of thesleeve and having an eccentric portion loosely engaging the lower end ofthe plunger to move the same toward and away from the cutter.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with a base,a cutter mount ed therein, said base being provided with a downwardlydepending sleeve having arms, a plunger movably mounted in said sleeveand having an anvil block fixedly secured at its upper end, a leverpivotally mounted between said arms and having an eccentric portionengaging said plunger to move the .same, a spring mounted in said sleeveand engaging the plunger to hold it against said eccentric portion, saidcutter being so mounted as to be adjustable toward and from the face ofsaid plunger.

7. In a machine of the character described the combination with a base,a cutter mounted therein, said base being provided with a downwardlydepending sleeve having arms, a plunger movably mounted in said sleeveand having an anvil block fixedly secured at its upper end, a leverpivotally mounted between said arms and having an eccentric portionengaging said plunger to move the same, a spring mounted in said sleeveand engaging the plunger to hold it against said eccentric portion, saidcutter being so mounted as to be adjustable toward and from the face ofsaid plunger, and a guide secured to the upper face of the plunger andhaving a flat forward face for guiding the strip to be severed.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination of a base, aplunger movable therein and havinga flat face at its upper end and aflat lower end, a fixed cutter adjustably mounted in said base abovesaid plunger for cooperation therewith, and a lever pivotally mountedbelow said plunger and provided with an eccentric portion looselyengaging the fiat lower end of said plunger to operate the same.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a basehaving a depending sleeve, a cutter supported on said base, a plungervertically slidable in said sleeve 'below said cutter and provided withan anvil block, a packing around the upper end of said plunger forpreventing entrance of chips between the plunger and its sleeve, andmeans for moving the plunger vertically against the cutter.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a base,a straight edged cutter supported thereon, a movable plunger for movinga strip into contact with said cutter, and a strip guiding member onsaid plunger and along which the strip may be fed and having a cut-awayportion opposite to the end of the edge of said cutter.

11. A machine of the character described, the combination of a baseprovided with a depending sleeve, a cutter supported in said base abovesaid sleeve and adjustable longitudinally with reference thereto, aplunger slidable in said sleeve and having an anvil block forcooperation with said cutter, said plunger having a flat lower end, anda lever fulcruined in said sleeve and provided with an eccentric portionloosely engaging the lower end of said plunger for operating the same.

12. In a machine of the character described the combination with a basehaving a cutter supported therein, said base being provided with adepending sleeve having a bore, a plunger movably mounted in said bore,and a lever pivotally mounted in the lower end of the sleeve and havingan eccentric portion for loosely engaging the lower end of .the plungerto move the same toward and away from the cutter.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN F. KITCHEN. Witnesses:

J. H. PARDEE, T. F. GHARLTAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

